Press Secretary Gibbs' Tirade
From Denny: Today there was quite the tirade from Press Secretary Gibbs about how this White House is getting criticized from every angle, especially sectors of its own party. While I can understand Gibbs' "AlaDamnBama" Southern temper, as well as his frustration working in a White House during a time when the country is on its knees, the outburst was not his best moment.
Democratic base is unhappy with corporate-pleasing politicians in their own party
The entire Democratic Party is furious with this White House. Why? Because Obama campaigned on one thing and did not deliver any of it. They make promises that are always in the future instead of in the present. They have put off any real hard-charging agenda to create jobs or arm twist Big Business into doing right by employees. The list is practically endless how Big Business, Big Banks, credit card companies, health care insurance and the rest of the insurance industry have escaped any consequences for their actions. The public option health care was promised during the campaign and never delivered so Americans still over pay for health care.
All of these are pocketbook issues for the average American and we just can't afford to absorb any more expenses for anything. We, in the Gulf Coast region and especially Louisiana, have been absorbing huge rising costs since Hurricane Katrina hit back in August 2005. That's five years of constant hardship along with more piled on recently from the oil spill and a weak economy with huge job losses. And you wonder why you are getting criticized?
Prez Obama worked on bipartisanship with Republicans that has failed with the "Party of No!"
While it is understandable this President meant well to try and bring down the political temperature in Washington by constantly wooing the Republicans, well, clearly it's time to give up the romance after an eighteen month courtship. Republicans will never like a Democratic President, especially a black one which is clear while viewing the increasing rate of their racist hysteria barfing all over America promoted in the Tea Party rallies. As long as people choose to hold onto racism no President is going to win on that front. This country will just have to wait for the racists to die off in this generation.
Iraq War still continues for far too long
But what this President can do is fulfill his promises to his own party who elected him: stop the Iraq War. Is it any wonder that when the President announced the ending of the Iraq War starts on 31 August 2010 that the news story was met with a thud in the media and blogosphere? We have had far too many promises and great speeches from this White House that went three steps forward and then five steps backward. In short, Prez Obama's credibility is on the line. The famous quotation that applies here is this: "What you do thunders so loudly I can't hear what you are saying."
Addressing the stresses of the Iraq War on the troops
Instead of allowing this Iraq War business to drag out yet another eighteen months before all the troops are out of Iraq, rush it up and have them all out by Christmas. No kidding. These troops who have been fighting in Iraq need some serious time out to power down and relieve excessive stress.
In fact, as they come home the military needs to get serious and keep them on base for another six to eight months as they debrief them and get them some serious PTSD counseling before allowing them to go home to their families. Families can be allowed to visit during this transition time - but visit at the base or detention area.
It's important to make sure each and every soldier coming back can handle the stress of transition back into American culture. If you have never lived overseas then you may not understand it takes time to get your head back into the home culture. That process is severely impaired when a person has been at war for years, on several tours of duty.
They could be a menace to themselves, their families and the public if this troop return is not properly handled. Too many of our troops are committing suicide because of the effects of this war. We need to be mindful of their stress and their medical needs when they first arrive - not after the fact when something horrific has occurred.
Afghanistan War
For a time it looks like the Afghan War will have to continue until we route the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Maybe we will get lucky and this Mother Nature flooding will have done a lot of the job for us. It's a lot more difficult to be a rough and tough Taliban guy when you got flooded out, your family is either dead or displaced, relief supplies are unable to get to you because of washed out bridges and roads, you don't have any food and are just trying to survive day to day. This disaster certainly reduces the amount of Taliban supporters and Taliban troops our military will have to fight.
Fast track the end to the Afghan War
Even so, there has to be an early time table on this war too. The American taxpayer is no longer made of money with the majority of the high-paying jobs now outsourced out of America. The American treasury just isn't taking in the big money it once did. Historically, what always bankrupts a country is war, especially long wars like the ones America has fought. What George Bush started Barack Obama needs to finish and finish quickly. The public is weary of war and the devastating effects upon our economy and our psyche. If this President wants the public to get optimistic about what this White House has done to slow the slide of shed jobs, then he has to do something dramatic to give people relief. Constant war just doesn't make for happy people by any one's definition.
Do these Democrats deserve to remain in power?
If this Democratic political team is not mentally tough enough to handle the nation's problems and fulfill what they promised their voters - and keeps whining about not feeling appreciated - then perhaps they should think seriously about abdicating their power. The military in the Iraq and Afghan Wars have been dealing with extreme horrific stress for year after year yet you don't hear them whining when they certainly have earned whining rights. If this White House cannot deal with a mere eighteen months of stress then you are not the leaders you believe yourselves to be.
Time for the federal government to use its power and hire America
The nation is in dire disstress and everyone is looking to you to get your "A" game going in high gear. While it's obvious to everyone that turning around the jobs sector is virtually an impossible job to get done in record time, keeping the word "impossible" in the Democratic vocabulary just does not inspire confidence with the American public. The only way to turn around the jobs sector is for the government to start hiring by the thousands for public works like was done under President Roosevelt during the Great Depression.
Where to find the money for hiring America
Ending the hideously expensive two front wars will supply and free up the funds necessary to put Americans back to work. Yes, it's that simple to be the super hero of the day. Even so, you are still looking at a five to seven year transition for the currently unemployed to be employed long enough to affect the economy positively. It's better than what this White House is facing now: fifteen years before any real recovery.
Rebuild America's infrastructure
Speed up the process by directly hiring the unemployed into government work projects necessary all across the nation. Our infrastructure is groaning under the lack of maintenance and upgrading needs: highways, interstates, lakes, oceans, ports, trains, airports, bridges, energy plants from the coal to electrical to nuclear; the list is long - and I haven't started on the military needs like upgrading the deteriorating Coast Guard fleet that is held together with the equivalent of duct tape.
Time for this White House to invest in fellow Americans: hire them directly
We have the manpower to throw at all these problems if our government will only invest in its own people. The Democrats should not be afraid to invest in our own people, fretting over what the critics will say or do. This White House cannot wait for Big Business to do the job. Our own government must do this job of putting America back to work. It will create buzz. It will create more than hope. It will create a positive atmosphere again for that's what this country is missing: its joy.
Journalist discussing Press Secretary Gibbs outburst of this White House getting criticized and feeling the pressure from his own Democrats
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Liberal journalist discussing why the public and the Democratic Party is unhappy with this White House - "we didn't get what we voted for"
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Michael Moore weighs in from "the professional left"
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